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Dainty swallowtail

Papilio anactus

Description:

Medium to large butterfly with white markings and a row of red dots along the hindwing.

Habitat:

Hilltop of native vegetation in inner Melbourne.

Notes:

This male butterfly was circling the hilltop chasing away other flying insects including many common brown butterflies and a dragonfly. It landed very briefly for a photo opportunity. These lay eggs on citrus and are frequently seen in back yards and nurseries.

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2 Comments

MartinL
MartinL 12 years ago

This butterfly was circling to guard its territory and had a predictable flight path, however, I'm not admitting to how many photos I took to select that one from.

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 12 years ago

Wow you caught one in flight!

MartinL
Spotted by
MartinL

3078, Victoria, Australia

Spotted on Dec 30, 2011
Submitted on Dec 30, 2011

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